Retort



V. M. DAVID Nov. 7, 1944.

RETORT I Filed March 21, 1944 To vacuum Pump.

To vacuum Pump Dll- E 26 if- Patented Nov.` 7, 1944 UNITED STATE RETORT Victor M. David, Vancouver, British Columbia,

. Canada Application March a1; 1944, serial No. 527,462'

7 Claims.` (CL 34-92) My invention relates to retorts. for use in proc-y essing fish, especially de-hydrating same. I

The inventionhas for its object to provide a simple, eil'lcient and inexpensiveV apparatus rfor use in conducting the process disclosed in my application Serial Number 501,471. 4

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter. o

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects andy ends the invention also resides in the novel details of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, all of which will hereinafter -be rst describedin the detailed description to follow and then be specifically pointed outv in the appended claims, reference being had to the accom'- panying drawing, in vvhich` o o yFigjl is an enlarged cross section on-the line I-IofFig.2. y I, Y

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a retort embodying my invention. k l

Fig. 3 is a detail view hereinafter referred4 to.

In the drawing in which like numerals indicate like parts in all the figures; I is a tubular body or vessel having end doors 2 and being suitably supported, as at 3, to maintain thev retort in alxed position. I

Within the retort isa trackway' 4 which joins rwith anoutside trackway. 41 (see Fig. 2).

The top or dome portion ofthe retort vessel I is provided with suitable heat insulation 6 under a cover or shield 5. A heating element l is embedded in the insulation 6. The` heating element may be electric,` steam or hot water conductors, steam pipes being shown 'for purposes of illustration. t

One or more, preferably at least two, pipes 48 run to a suitable vacuum producer or pump (not shown) and communicate with the interior of the vessel to enable the production ofra more or` less `of a vacuum within the retort as required in the above mentioned process. A o

Suitablymounted along one. side of theretort and extending approximately the lengtlh thereof is a manifold 9 to which heating substancek is delivered via a iiuid conveying means 22. Similarly mounted on the opposite side of the retort is a manifold I from which the heating' substance exists via a delivery means 23.

The heating substancemanifold 9 has a number of suitably spaced heating substance conductors 20, while the outlet manifold I0 also has a number of suitably spaced heating substance conductors 20.

The trucks 25 which each comprise a base II have axle bearings I2 for the axles I3 that have :processed (dehydrated) flanged wheels I4 to run on the tracks 4, 41. Angle iron corner posts I5 vcarry a vertical set oi spaced, `horizontally disposed shelves I6` having means 24 for lreceiving a suitable heating substance. l Eachtruck has a heating substance inlet manifold I'I and an exhaust or outlet manifold I8. The manifolds I1 and I8 have heating substance conductors" or connecting elements I9 which areconnectable to the conductors 20 by suitable couplings 2I v When the heating substance used is steam or hot water the manifolds 9 and I0 comprise hollow ducts as do `also the Lelements I9, 20, I1, I8, and the shelves I6fare hollow and communicate at 24 with the manifolds l1 and I8. When however, the heating medium used is Velectricity the shelves IG enclose electric heating coils, the manifolds I1 and I8 then comprise the connections betweenthe rheating coils of the various shelves, the connes-,- tions I 9, 2*I, 29' comprise electrical connectorplugs to` plug into the manifolds (bus bars) 9 and I0 and the elements corresponding to 22 and 23.will be the positive and negative connections, respectively, with an external circuit.

Inorder to eliminate condensedlfluid from the retort I a suitable drain outlet 26 may be provided. y f

l In using my presentjinvention the `fish `to be is placed, on suitable trays (not shown), on the shelves I6 4and the trucks rolled into the retort. The connections 2I are made and the retort closed. Heating substance is admitted through the inlet or intake 22 and out via outlet or oitake 23, thus heating the shelves I6to the desired degree. At the proper :time the exhaustpump or pumps (not shown) connected to pipes-8 draw the desired vacuum in the retort I. The vapors being at the same time prevented from condensing over the trucks because of the heated top or dome of the retort, due to the heating device on top of the retort.

Upon completion of the process to which the fish are subjected (see my application Serial "Number 501,4'71aforesaid) the heat and vacuum pumps are cut-off, the 'door'sZ opened, connections 2| released and the trucks pushed or pulled on top of another and spaced apart, individualv intake and outlet heating substance conducting manifolds for each truck, means-,for ccuplingsaid individual manifolds with the respective mani.-

folds of the retort, and means to produce a suitable vacuum within the retort.

2. A horizontally disposed tubular retort lia-.ving closed ends, at least one` of said endshaving a door, vtracks disposed along'the inside ofsaid retort adjacent thebottom thereof, trucks vto'run on said tracks, a. heating fluid inlet.manifoldv duct mounted lengthwisealong the 'innersid'e ofithe retort, a similar outlet manifold duct'alo-ng the inner side of the. retort oppositeftheiirst men.- tioned manifold duct, eac'h'truclrincl'uding a plurality of hollow, horizontally disposed, vertically spaced apart shelves, individual intake and outlet and outlet manifolds carried'- by 'each said trucks and communicatingwith the-interiors of the shelves, and detachable'connections'between the manifolds ofthe retort and the respective manifolds of the 'truckswithi'nz the retort.

3. A horizontally di'sposedtubulfar retort havingclosed ends, at least one'of 'said ends having a door, tracks disposed along the Sinside of Lsaid retort adj acentthe bottom thereof, t1ucll:s=to -run on said tracks, a heating" fluid inlet'manifold duct mounted lengthwise "along thev inner side 'of the retort,` a similar outlet manifold duct along the inner side 'of they retort opposite therstmentioned manifold duct, each truckiinc'luding' a' plurality of hollow, horizontally disposedvertically spaced apart shelves, individual intake andoutlet manifolds carried by each said trucks Aand communicating with the interiors of the shelves, anddetachable connections between `,the rmanifolds-of the retortand thefrespective manifolds of the trucks'within the retort, andmeans for producing a suitable vacuum within the-retort.

4. A horizontally disposed tubular rretort hav.- ing closed ends, at least-fone-of said' ends 'having aldoor, tracks disposed' along the inside of said retort adiacentthe bottomtthereofgtrucks torun `onI said tracks', a-'heating uid inlet manifoldY duct mounted Vlengthwise along the` inner side :of the retort, a similar outlet manifoldduct'alongthe inner side of the retortoppositethe first menmunicating with the interiors'of the vshelves',.and

detachable connections .between` thez-manifolds-'of the retort and the respective manifolds of the trucks within the retort, and means for heating the top of the retort for purposes described.

5. A horizontally disposed tubular retort having closed ends, at least one of said ends having a door, tracks disposed along the inside of said retort adjacent the bottom thereof, trucks to run on said tracks, a heating fluid inlet manifold duct mounted. lengthwise along the inner side of the retort, a similar outlet manifold duct: along the inner side of the retort opposite the first mentioned manifold duct, each truck including a plu- L,and detachable connections between the manifolds 'of the retort and the respective manifolds of the vtrucks within the retort, and means for producing a suitable vacuum within the retort, and'mea'ns for heatingthe top'of the retort for purposes described. l

6. Al horizontally disposed tubular retort hav- 4ing closed ends, at least one of said ends having a door, tracks disposed along the inside of said retort adjacent the bottom thereof, trucks to run on said tracks, a heating fluid inlet manifold duct mounted lengthwisealong the inner side of ythe retort, a similar outlet manifold duct along the inner side of the retort opposite the rst mentioned manifold duct, each truck including a plurality Aof hollow, horizontally disposed, verticalli7 spaced apart shelves, individual intake and outlet manifolds carriedby each said trucks and 'communicating with theinteriors'of theshelves,

and detachable connectionsfbetween themanifolds ofthe retort and the respective manifolds .of. the trucks Within the retort, and means for 'ing closed endsat least' one of saidends having a door, tracks disposed along the inside of said retort adjacent the bottom thereof, trucks to run on said tracks, a `heating uid inlet manifold duct Amounted lengthwise along the inner side of the retort,y a similar outlet manifold duct along the inner side of the retort opposite the 'first mentioned manifold duct, each truck including a 'plurality of hollow, horizontally disposed, vertically spaced apart shelves, individual intake and outletinanifolds carried by each said trucks4 and communicatingl with the Yinteriors of the shelves,

` and .detachable connections between the mani,-

folds of ,the retort and the respective manifolds ,ofthetrucks within the retort, and means for ,producing a suitable vacuum within the retort,

and means for heating the top .of theretort for Epurposes described, said last named means in- -cludingheating elements embedded in insulation and mounted. along the top of the retort..

VICTOR M. DAVID. 

